


Arc

by 3DOPotato



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: Adoption, Alpha Zack Fair, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Body Worship, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Mirror Sex, Mood Swings, Mpreg, Omega Cloud Strife, Praise Kink, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Kink, hi this is super self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:54:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26589202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3DOPotato/pseuds/3DOPotato
Summary: ‘It usually takes a few attempts before you’re successful.’‘Don’t be discouraged. I don’t know a single person who got it the first try.’Apparently they didn’t understand the power of Zack Fair’s cock.
Relationships: Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Comments: 10
Kudos: 205





	Arc

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jurrassica](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jurrassica/gifts).



> Hey, everyone. This is the first time I've ever posted a fic before. First time for everything, huh? Anywo, please enjoy some self-indulgent degenerate FILTH that Jurrassica and I think way too much about. Happy birthday you beautiful bitch. 
> 
> Also! I commissioned the wonderful @theskycriestoo to draw the window scene. It so spot on and I love it to death. His commissions are open, btw! Please give him some love.  
> https://twitter.com/theskycriestoo/status/1308210352467988482

  
‘ _It usually takes a few attempts before you’re successful.’_

_‘Don’t be discouraged. I don’t know a single person who got it the first try.’_

  
  


_Apparently they didn’t understand the power of Zack Fair’s cock._

* * *

The words of his friends echoed through his head as he hugged the dusty porcelain he panted over, a nausea unlike any he’d ever experienced before leaving him gasping and shaking on his knees. Every muscle in his body was tense, each labored breath making him feel sicker and sicker. It had been a month since they’d shared their first synchronized rut/heat together off of birth control. He didn’t even need to pull out the large assortment of pregnancy tests that Zack had gone overboard in buying in advance. 

He knew.

“Cloud?” There was a light knock at the door, Zack’s voice muffled by the barrier between them but he could still hear the concern laced in it. “Can I come in yet?”

“ _No, God damn it,”_ He snapped back for the third time, irritation pricking at his head. The last thing he needed was an anxious Alpha helicoptering over him while he dry-heaved. He could hear his mate’s distressed whine past the door but he wouldn’t budge. The next eight months would be spent with Zack orbiting him even more than he usually did; the bastard could at least let him vomit in peace. 

20 minutes and a few more denied requests from Zack to enter the bathroom had Cloud finally feeling well enough to brush his teeth and pull out the first pregnancy test box within reach under the sink. He held the box gingerly in his hands, feet unmoving as he stared at such a simple thing that somehow held the gravity of the world within it. It was so clear to him- an Omega instinct that was so undeniable and present in his core… Yet, he had to be certain. The world had broken his body and put it back together so many times, it would be foolish not to have the science to back his gut reaction. 

“Hey, Cloud?” Zack’s voice rang through once more, Cloud’s lip twitching up in a silent snarl. He was about ready to unleash hell on his persistent mate before the Alpha’s normally boisterous voice spoke so softly, so tenderly that he felt a pang of guilt stab at his chest. “I love you.”

Ah. Yeah. That’s why they were doing this. 

The tension in Cloud’s face melted away and his lips curled into a smile he couldn’t suppress even if he wanted to, giving him the push he needed to actually piss on the damn stick (as well as a couple others just to be absolutely certain) and subject himself to the agonizing wait to find out what he already knew. He needed the visual confirmation. Zack would need it even more. 

The idea of having children when he already had Denzel and, to an extent, Marlene, had never even once been a consideration. A concept so far removed from his head that even mentioning that he possessed the ability to bring life into the world made him uncomfortable. His body had already been subject to unspeakable horrors at the hands of Hojo- the last thing it needed was to rearrange itself to make room for a damn _child._

But, just like his aversion to sharing a heat with a partner, Zack had come into his life like a storm and made the idea sound not only possible but _desirable._ After heats came living together, another concept he swore he’d never succumb to. Then bonding. Then marriage. Then adopting Denzel officially. Then having at least one biological child. One after the other, Zack had destroyed his hesitations without so much as even pressuring him a little bit. That was the most infuriating part- the Alpha respected his wishes so much and he accepted all of his barriers without question. That alone opened his eyes to the more… _Omega_ things in life which he’d always blocked out from his mind. 

Shaking his head of the thoughts, Cloud got up from the toilet lid and peeked timidly over the counter, his heartbeat picking up in his ears. The three tests sitting in the sink had lines visible where there had been none before. _Double lines._

There was no mistaking it. There was going to be an addition to the Fair family. 

* * *

  
  


Week 8

It wasn’t Zack’s fault. He _knew_ it wasn’t Zack’s fault. But all of the little gestures he was doing to ease even the slightest burdens on him left him feeling meek and _Omega_ and he hated every second of it. Grabbing things from high shelves so he wouldn’t have to stand on his tippy toes, fussing about prenatal check ups, taking over his usual daily chores without asking, swooping in to do any heavy lifting, giving him portions of food that were almost nauseating... Cloud once had to go behind his back to use a stepstool and it was truly the peak of his patience being tested. It was bad enough that his mood was always left in shambles from the persistent morning sickness.

Trying to get him to avoid driving Fenrir was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“Give it a rest already, would you?!” He balled his fists up, smacking one on the counter hard enough that the dishes drying on the rack (that Zack had gone ahead and cleaned despite telling him he’d do it) clattered with the force of it. “I’m pregnant, _not useless_ . Unless you’ve forgotten, I’m the one who fought Sephiroth. Twice. I went through hell for Gaia and _lived to tell the tale_ and _get knocked up by your hovering ass._ Stop treating me like I’m delicate! I hate it!” 

Zack and Denzel both stared at him in stunned silence, the spoonful of macaroni in front of his son’s mouth hovering at a standstill while his mate swallowed nervously and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. It was a few moments before he dared to take the first step to approach him. 

“Cloud?” The Omega winced, hating the way there was worry in that soft tone Zack had been using with him far too much. He couldn’t stand it. Being talked to like he was _delicate_. The only thing that had changed about him was that he was carrying something inside of him that wasn’t even big enough to be the size of a damn bean, yet he was being treated like he was carrying Shiva Herself. 

Zack cautiously stepped into the tense radius of Cloud’s personal space and stopped halfway in to give his mate room to step back if he needed to, but Cloud merely glowered at him, the faintest hint of a pout beneath the frown that was glued to his lips. Maybe he wanted Zack to feel sorry. Maybe it was nice to see him looking uncomfortable, seeing as he’d been feeling out of his comfort zone since the day the tests came back positive. He’d expected a hug or maybe an _apology_ but what he got instead were hands gingerly framing his face, fingertips padding over the hairline at his neck and thumbs swiping upward over his cheeks. 

“Babe… You’re crying.” His eyes sunk with a heaviness that made Cloud gasp, his own hand coming up to touch his cheek and, sure enough, a lukewarm moisture clung to his fingertip and confirmed what his mate had said- he _was_ crying and he hadn’t even noticed. Now that the tears had been brought to light, the floodgates had burst and Cloud’s vision went from clear to foggy with liquid as he balled his hands up desperately in Zack’s shirt. 

“I don’t… Want to be treated differently,” He sniffled and recoiled a bit from how pathetic he sounded, gritting his teeth together in a scowl before burying his face in Zack’s shirt and wiping the snot and tears into the fabric. Zack merely staggered a chuckle as he exhaled, threading a hand through blonde locks and rubbing gentle, calming circles over his scalp while the other smoothed over the small of his back. Cloud could smell the heady scent of soothing pheromones coming from his mate and he could feel himself instinctively melt in his husband’s arms. 

“Not in front of Denzel…” Cloud grumbled lazily, the pheromones muddling his mind much faster than it normally would thanks to the heightened hormones in his system. 

“Sorry, beautiful. No can do,” He kissed the side of Cloud’s head, nuzzling his nose into those signature spikes. “But you know what I can do? I can start working on being better about not letting my Alpha side come out as strongly as it has been lately. I’m so sorry I made you feel this way. It’s my first time doing this so-”

“It’s the _only_ time you’re doing this. If you want more kids after this, _you’re_ having them.”

“Aw, come on. What’s the harm in having a few mo-”

The loud scrape of chair legs across the linoleum floor jerked the two out of their own little bubble, Denzel having hopped down from his chair and grabbing his bowl, cradling it in one arm so he could point at his parents. “I earned the right to eat in the living room for having to hear all of that.” He declared confidently, marching off into the other room.

Cloud and Zack blinked once, twice, before looking back up at one another and were left to stand there, speechless. 

* * *

16 weeks

There were some moments where Cloud didn’t find the experience all that bad. It came and went with his mood swings, although those had decreased in severity since the first trimester. For so long, so many years, Cloud had lived in a world that chewed him up and spat him out a different version of himself every time; the idea of dragging a child through the hell he endured would’ve been akin to child abuse. 

It was only through the backing of friends, the love of his husband, and some much-needed therapy that he had been able to settle with the fact that the world wasn’t out to get him anymore. Sephiroth was gone and even if he did come back, he knew he could take him on in a fight. He was _safe._ He wasn’t alone. And bringing a child into the world was not only okay, but a monumental testament to how far he’d come since Meteor. 

A shrill cry of laughter from Marlene cut through his thoughts, dragging his gaze to the window he stood in front of as he watched the kids play. A smile settled over his features, a comforting warmth spreading in his chest. They were always so happy to be reunited with one another, despite seeing each other multiple times throughout a given month. Despite only being a couple hours away from Edge, Cloud and Zack had been conflicted over tearing Denzel away from Tifa and Marlene. As much as they wanted to nurture the bond they had as found-siblings, it was Denzel who reassured them that he wanted to experience life away from Edge, his memories of the city steeped in a sadness that no child deserved to be put through. A fresh start was what they all needed, building a house from the ground up (with the help of all of their friends) in a nice pocket of nature south of the city.

Watching Denzel grow- having the childhood Cloud had been robbed of… It was all he ever wanted for his son. And for the child growing within him. Cloud’s hands slid down to cradle the considerable swell of his belly, eyes half-lidded with a content pride. This child was the proof of a second chance at life he’d been given. A sign of the love he shared with his husband. Of the peace he was owed. They weren’t even born yet and still he loved them so much it often brought him to tears. 

“They getting into trouble?” Zack’s smooth voice rang from behind Cloud. In the past, the Omega would’ve been startled by the Alpha sneaking up on him like that but even that tight coil of nerves he thought would be programmed into him forever had disappeared around his family. Large, strong hands slipped under Cloud’s as Zack swooped in to press a tender kiss over Cloud’s bondmark, lips mouthing over the scar. 

Cloud cast his eyes out the window once more, watching the rowdy youths chase each other with the wooden swords reserved strictly for use in training and raising an eyebrow. Denzel knew better. And yet… “Nah,” He replied, leaning back into his Alpha’s touch and tilting his head for him to get better access. “They’re independent souls. They’ll get into trouble regardless of what we tell them. Sometimes they’ll just have to learn the hard way _why_ we tell them what we do.” 

Zack snorted as he exhaled, smiling against Cloud’s skin. “And yesterday you were practically a slave driver to both of us. Now you’re touting the miracles of letting a child roam free?”

“Don’t test me, Zackary.”

“Yes, sir,” He replied quickly, stiffening a little and drawing a chuckle out of Cloud. 

“Tifa said I’m due for a new wardrobe update. The last set of clothes is already getting too small.” Cloud casually mentioned, shuffling a little at the feeling of his waistband digging into his hips. Pregnancy had so many hidden costs behind it that he never expected and the constant updates needed with maternity clothes spat in the face of his minimalistic lifestyle. Not to mention he hated most of the styles anyway. They were far too… _Omega_. Stylized and pastel and magnets for stains. Cloud would always prefer darker colors. 

“You’re also due for another exam,” Zack reminded him, kissing the soft baby hairs that creeped out at the back of his hairline. Cloud scowled, his smile faltering. He hated going to the clinic. Hated labs. Hated anyone in white coats carrying clipboards and bringing in needles that either extracted fluid from him or put them in. He struggled with the latter the most. Hopefully it would just be an ultrasound this time. 

Sensing Cloud’s discomfort, Zack let a small wave of soothing pheromones roll off of him in an attempt to calm his mate but Cloud nudged him with his elbow. “Stop being such an Alpha. I can handle it. Doesn’t mean I have to like it though.” 

“Sorry. Habit,” He pressed an apologetic kiss to his cheek before parting from Cloud, only to turn him around and pull him in for a proper kiss. Cloud hummed against his lips, his hands coming up to tangle in Zack’s shirt. 

“Hm. Well, stop making a habit of that and start making one out of rubbing my back. Our child is doing a better job of kicking my ass than Sephiroth ever could.” 

“Taking after us already.” Zack chuckled, sounding far more proud than he should’ve. Cloud rolled his eyes.

_Alphas..._

* * *

Week 20

Three nights. For three nights Cloud’s skin had become so sensitive to heat he couldn’t even stand the warmth from his mate sitting at the edge of the damn bed, banishing him to the couch and feeling guilty about it all night. He stared up at the ceiling and tried hard to not beat himself up for it, like he and his therapist had been working on. It was okay to let his body experience these kinds of fluctuations and he had to trust that Zack was being truthful when he said he didn’t mind. At least Denzel wasn’t home to see it, spending the first week of every month with Tifa so he could still see her and Marlene.

It still didn’t change the fact that it made him feel like a bad partner for doing this so often. 

Sighing and trying for what seemed like the hundredth time to get comfortable against the sea of pillows he’d propped up against his naked back, Cloud reached for his phone with the intention to fire off a text to his mate. He was just about to pull up his husband’s name in the phone when he paused to look at himself in the mirror atop the old vanity dresser across from their bed, his brow pinching in dissatisfaction. He looked so ridiculous… Gaia’s savior indeed, swelling like a balloon and getting bigger with each day. The pecs that he’d been so proud of were softening and becoming tender to the touch. It was such a dramatic change. All the work he’d put into his body coming undone. His fingers tapped across the screen. 

>> _i can’t wait for this phase to pass._

_even if it doesnt i dont mind 1 bit << _

Cloud smiled, feeling a little undeserving of such a caring mate. That man had such incredible patience with him; it was kind of shocking that he possessed so little of it in every other situation. Cloud blushed behind the screen, typing and deleting a line several times before sending it. 

>> _i miss you._

_i miss u 2 sunshine. wat r u up 2? << _

_ >>staring at myself in the mirror and wishing my old body would come back. _

There was no response. The usual typing indicator that normally popped up in record speed was completely devoid of activity. Instead, he heard the loud thud of Zack’s heavy footsteps racing up the stairs, causing Cloud to shrink back into his pillows. Oh no... He knew all too well why his mate was charging up the stairs, setting his phone back on the nightstand and resigning himself to his fate. His heartbeat pounded away in his ears and picked up the louder Zack’s steps got until they approached the bedroom, the door flying open and smacking loud enough against the wall that it made him wince. They needed to get a doorstopper…

“Oh no you don’t,” He declared loudly, lunging at the bed and pouncing on top of Cloud, taking extra care to make sure he didn’t land anywhere near his swollen abdomen but the Omega still reflexively brought up a protective arm to shield his child. He felt his throat constrict for a moment, wide mako-blue eyes locked with Zack’s matching pair that burned a hole straight into his soul for having the audacity to belittle himself. 

“Come on. You know the drill. Gotta say two positive things about your body right now or else I flip the praise switch.” Zack pressed a quick kiss to Cloud’s lips before nosing at the space behind his ear and leaving the softest of pecks to the skin there. A cold shiver ran up his arms and his breath hitched in his throat. His arms instinctively reached for his mate’s shoulders and relished the feeling of that familiar warmth that he so often found himself either craving rabidly or detesting with every fiber of being depending on how his mood was. 

Cloud didn’t say anything. Because maybe… 

Maybe he _wanted_ to be showered in compliments. Maybe he secretly craved the attention from his Alpha, though he’d never admit it out loud. Husband be damned; he wasn’t about to go saying shit like that unless he fucked it out of him. The thought sent a spark through his nerves, the fine hairs on his body standing on edge as Zack trailed a little lower, his tongue flickering over the dips and rises of the dental imprint he’d left on Cloud’s neck- an impressive display of a bondmark that had long-since healed over. It never failed to give him shivers from top to bottom and he knew that Zack had seen the way his toes curled in the mirror from the action. 

“Nothing? There’s not a single thing you can think of that you can say about yourself?” He breathed over the mark, swooping in to suck a bruising love bite into the sensitive flesh, drawing out a breathy moan from the Omega who keened at the delicious burn that came with. Cloud clamped his eyes shut and pursed his lips together, shaking his head in refusal. Zack merely clicked his tongue before pulling back and admiring the angry purple welt he left in the skin. 

“You paint up so beautifully, Cloud. I wish you could see how beautiful you are… Hm.” Zack paused as he hovered over his mate, eyeing him up and down a few times before grinning impishly. Oh no… Cloud knew that look. After several years of marriage, Cloud could read his partner like an open book. The look of Zack getting an idea. And Zack ideas had a 50/50 chance of either ending in complete disaster or being such an intense success that he’d have trouble approaching it ever again. He swallowed hard, felt the tickle of wetness cloying at his backside.

Before Cloud even had the chance to question his husband, Zack was hopping off the bed and pulling the Omega to his feet despite his protests. “Zack, I just got comfy!” He complained loudly, putting up a farce of a fight as he was dragged to the front of their vanity and left to stare at his own reflection in the mirror. What… Why was he…?

No. _No._

“Z-Zack, wait-” 

“No can do, beautiful,” Zack nipped at his ear and wrapped his arms around his waist from behind with strong arms, effectively locking him in place so he couldn’t escape. “Look at you, Cloud. Can you see it? Can you see the way your body is changing? It’s so beautiful in every way. A testament to how strong your body is. To handle all this rapid change while still looking so irresistible.”

Cloud pinched his eyes shut, wanting desperately to hate everything about this- the attention drawn to his what he only saw as flaws, the proximity to the mirror reminding him that when he opened his eyes it would be his own reflection that he’d see… And yet, his body being the traitorous bastard it was, slickened between his legs and the scent was undeniably present in the air. A low, approving hum reverberated in the back of his Alpha’s throat and the sound only made him produce more of the fluid. 

“I love how soft and curvy your chest is becoming. You know why?” Zack whispered hotly over Cloud’s ear, causing the blonde to shiver and crack an eye open. 

“Because you’re a pervert?” He guessed, gasping when one of Zack’s hands found its way to a perky nipple and squeezed hard at the bud, his knuckles kneading gently into the tender mass as if he was trying to get something out of them. The sensation wasn’t painful- Zack knew by now how to touch his forming breasts without irritating them- but it was strange to have such a sensitive part of his body become even _more_ receptive, and it was a fact that Zack loved to exploit. 

“For you, yeah, you’re not wrong. But that’s not the reason,” He replied, his voice low and husky and dripping with his increasing desire. Cloud’s eyes shot open when he felt his husband’s growing erection jutting up against the swell of his ass through his flimsy pj pants, his shirt most likely discarded downstairs by the couch. “I can’t get enough of them because these will be the source of our child’s lifeblood. I look at them and think of the bond that you two will share. It makes me so envious. I wish I could have that kind of connection with them.” 

Okay… If there was one thing Cloud could get on board with, it was the impact of thinking about his child nursing from his own breast. His mother had told him when he was younger about how much pride it filled her with to have nursed him instead of raising him on formula and it was a feeling he wanted to be able to understand. One little thing he could share with her even though she wasn’t here anymore. A small creep of a smile twitched over his lips despite the shivers that jerked through his body, and Zack took it as a sign to move his unoccupied hand down to smooth over the slight swell of his belly. 

“I love watching our child grow inside of you. Every inch you gain on your waistband turns me into a mess. It’s so hard to keep my hands off of you. I just want to touch you every day.” His hand moved lower, his pinky finger brushing over the small Omega cock that was firm and _angry_ and begging for release. 

“I want you to touch me right _now_ , Zack,” He moaned, tilting his head and exposing his neck in a submissive display for his mate, who wasted no time in swooping in and sucking the skin between his teeth. Cloud had expected Zack to reach around and give his weeping cock some much-needed attention. What he didn’t expect was for him to thrust two fingers inside of him with no warning, the Omega’s eyes shooting open and almost rolling back into his skull at the heavenly feeling of being filled by his Alpha, even if it was just fingers. 

“Zack!” He moaned loudly, pushing back against his fingers and whimpering at the loud squelch that came from his greedy pucker. A pressing thirst for air strained in his lungs as those skilled fingers went straight for his prostate- by now he’d memorized Cloud’s insides so well he could probably draw a map leading straight to his sweet spot, as well as provide a key for the exact way he liked it to be stimulated (and overstimulated, depending on the night). 

“Fuck, Cloud. You’re so wet like this. I can’t wait to fuck another child into you after this one. Now that I’ve had a taste of you when you’re pregnant, I don’t think I’ll ever stop craving it.” The fingers that prodded and stretched inside of him without an ounce of mercy. 

“Z-Zack! Stop talking and _fuck me_ already!” Cloud dried out in desperation, tears streaking down his cheeks as Zack removed his fingers, a quick shuffling of fabric later and he replaced them in one strong, unforgiving push of his cock. “ _AAH!_ ” He cried out loud enough to send an echo through their room, his hands shooting out to grip the edge of the vanity for support. It was still a shock to him- how pliable and wet he was when he was pregnant. Preparation was far more hasty than it had ever been and it was a good thing when Zack’s hormones were affected by Cloud’s. 

“Eyes on the mirror, gorgeous. I won’t move unless you’re watching. I want you to see _everything_ that I see.” Cloud could only nod dumbly and cast unfocused eyes on the man in the mirror who looked so _wrecked_ already. Zack eyes were narrowed into predatory slits that stared hard into the reflection, his mouth latched to his shoulder as he gave the first hard push. Cloud’s head tilted back and his eyes shut out of habit, the abrupt halt and growl from his Alpha reminding him that he couldn’t do that if he wanted to get what he desired. Right… Look in the mirror. 

The rhythm that Zack built up was hard and spurred on by the way Cloud threw his hips back so pretty, so _Omega_ and for once, he didn’t care that he was filling the role of his secondary gender. If being an Omega meant feeling this good while also creating something they both looked forward to more than anything else then maybe the changes to his body wouldn’t be so bad. 

Loud, wet slaps of skin against skin filled the room, chased by the frantic moans that Cloud yelped out every time Zack hammered into him. Zack’s growls and groaning only got more and more feral by the second, the swell of his knot butting up against Cloud’s cock-stuffed hole and promising something so big and so _good_ that the Omega thought he would lose his mind if he didn’t get knotted within the next minute.

The pair had both came violently far too soon, the pregnancy hormones giving them the bonus of increased stamina but the downside of shorter endurance. Zack slumped over Cloud’s back but made sure to wrap a protective arm around his front, hissing at the way his arm dug into the edge of the vanity but it was better than it digging into Cloud’s stomach. Cloud, on the other hand, was so blissed out and lost in the fog of orgasm that all he could do was twitch and tremble beneath Zack, his entire body wracked with pins and needles.

It would take 15 minutes for the knot to deflate, and Zack spent the time peppering Cloud in kisses and whispering sweet nothings into his ear, which the Omega soaked up like a sponge when he was in a fucked out bliss. It was one of the things that Cloud was incredibly fond of and he hoped it was something that would stay with his mate until the end of their days. 

When they finally parted, there was an audible spill of Zack’s spend hitting the hardwood floor (the exact reason Cloud insisted on it being installed) and Cloud grimaced, giving Zack a look that told him he wasn’t going to be the one to clean that up. Thankfully, Zack nodded his head and kissed his cheek. “I’ll go get some warm washrags. Stay here, okay beautiful?” 

“Okay… Hey, Zack?”

Zack paused at the doorway, looking over his shoulder and giving him a soft look. “Hm?” 

“... I love you.”

Zack beamed so bright Cloud almost squinted from it, his smile stretching from ear to ear. 

“Love you both.” 

* * *

36 Weeks

 _Braxton Hicks._ Whoever the fuck they were, Cloud was going to find them and give them a taste of his Fusion Sword. His doctor told him that male Omegas were prone to getting them more often than female Omegas and female Betas and that fact alone was enough to make him grumpy whenever Tifa had the audacity to exist too close to him. She was so lucky, as a Beta. Didn’t have to worry about heats or slick or _Braxton fucking Hicks_ to this degree. 

It was far enough into the third trimester of his pregnancy now that he struggled to make the distance from the house to the stable. His feet had swollen far too fast for his liking and the rate at which he ran out of breath reminded him of his training days at Shinra. And yet, despite Zack’s protests, he couldn’t bring himself to stay cooped up inside. The indoor lifestyle never suited him- nor Zack, for that matter- and like hell he was going to give Braxton goddamn Hicks the satisfaction of turning him into a homebody. 

He’d just need to get through this round of contractions like he did all the others- in unescapable agony that nobody could do a damn thing about. Thank goodness he’d built up a high pain tolerance over the years. 

“Again?” Zack paused to wipe the sweat from his brow on the back of his hand, droplets streaking down the dips and grooves of the Alpha’s muscular back as he toiled away under the hot sun repairing the leaky roof over their chocobo stable. Cloud could barely bring himself to look up at him, a deep, convulsing pain rippling through muscles he once never knew were there nor could experience pain. He could hear the clunk of the hammer on the metal roof and Cloud put a hand up to stop Zack before he could get up. The pain was too much for him to shout at his husband to not fuss over him but he hoped the silent gesture was enough to get through to him. And, sure enough, he heard the hammer scrape against metal as it was picked up again, hesitantly resuming the loud clanking. There was going to be rain later, despite the relentless blaze of the sun and he didn’t want the birds spending another night with wet feathers and exposed to the risk of a respiratory infection. 

Zack had been thoughtful enough to set up a chair outside with a fluffed up pillow for support, as well as one for Cloud to mash his face into to muffle the groans of anguish as he preferred to do. It was a sweet gesture; even through the pain, Cloud couldn’t help but feel a tinge of warmth spread through his chest. Zack was such an attentive Alpha. An incredible father, and he was about to be again. He only hoped he could measure up. 

Cloud had just managed to maneuver his off-kilter body weight into the chair when a sensation unlike anything he’d ever felt before quite literally ruptured within him. His whole body tensed in shock as he gripped the arms of the chair, eyes widening as he struggled to process what was happening- a deep, internal pop; a shifting of pressure at his cervix that brought with it a rush of fluid he almost mistook as incontinence. For a moment, Cloud tried to bargain with himself- tell himself that the chair was already wet, that it was just a heavier amount of discharge than normal, that his bladder had truly lost control. But the reality of what he already knew nagged closer and closer at the front of his mind. 

His water broke.

The anxiety that wafted off of him wasn’t missed by Zack, as the discarded hammer clattered on the shingles and his concerned mako eyes were honed in on him. 

“Z-Zack--”

The Alpha didn’t need to hear more; he could see the deep stain of wetness bleeding over his thighs through his pants from the rooftop. He was on his feet in the blink of an eye, not even bothering to slide down the ladder. Instead he opted for jumping down from the roof to the ground and landing in a fashion that was so SOLDIER that Cloud nearly got whiplash from the action. If it were any other situation that _this_ he probably would’ve found it hot. But not now. Not when he wasn’t expecting this so soon.

“I-It’s two weeks early,” He thought aloud, a brief ripple of concern hitting him as he brought his hand down to the impressive swell over his abdomen, Zack at his side and sinking down to his knees in front of him. 

“I’m calling the midwife. Just stay calm, okay? Deep breathe, hold my hand if you need to,” He reassured quickly as shaky, sweaty hands struggled to pull the phone from his back pocket and type in the unlock password at least four times. 

Cloud couldn’t help but snort at the reaction, despite the still-present contractions that had him holding his base of the swell for futile support. “Seems like you’re telling yourself that more than you’re telling me,” He teased lightly before wincing and tensing in pain. The stain of wet over his pants only grew with each passing minute, with varying levels of flow depending on how Cloud moved or utilized certain muscles. 

The midwife, despite being on-call for them, was located in Edge and thus would be a few hours away. Cloud could only hope that she wouldn’t be busy with another patient, as he was starting his labor earlier than expected. Thankfully, Zack got through to her and was assured that she would be on her way immediately, as well as ready to answer questions along the way in case things sped up before she got there. It was the only downside to living away from the city.

“Come on, Cloud. Let's get you inside, okay? I’m gonna be right here at your side the whole time. No matter what happens, got it?” Cloud could only nod and trust in the wavering confidence in Zack’s voice as he was slowly helped out of the chair. His head was swirling with concern for his unborn child due to his early arrival but the midwife had assured them that there should be no risk in delivering the child 2 weeks early. 

“Breathe, beautiful.” Right. Right, he needed to breathe. The anxiety coming off of him was unlikely to help Zack when they still had to make the whole trek back to the house. Cloud took in a deep breath through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, just like his therapist had instilled in him. 

They had a long day ahead of them.

* * *

Arc

If there was one thing he could ever claim to be thankful to Sephiroth for, it would be for exposing him to pain that almost matched that of what childbirth was like. _Almost._

Choosing a natural birth over the blessed kiss of an epidural was due largely in part to Cloud’s fear of hospitals and lab-like environments but if he had known how harrowing of an ordeal labor was, he would’ve gotten over that fear in a heartbeat. Next time, they’d be going to the hospital for sure. Well… That would be implying there would even be a ‘next time’ and he couldn’t think of a thing he wanted to do _less_ than ever go through with that again. 

“I’m getting my tubes tied,” He threatened lazily, heavy eyelids straining to stay open as his newborn son suckled away at his chest. Tifa, Barret, and Vincent, merely nodded their heads in tired understanding, having heard the cries of agony from Gaia’s savior in the other room for most of the night. Denzel and Marlene, being full of youth and excitement, were seemingly unaffected by the poor sleep, crowding around the bed and marveling at the sight of the newborn.

“M-Maybe we should think about that when you’ve recovered, yeah?” Zack stammered, the anxiety thick in his scent as the newly-minted father glanced around the room for anyone that could give him backup. He got none. The midwife had been in the middle of documenting Cloud’s vitals when she smiled warmly at the new family- no doubt she’d heard the threat before. She had been an endless source of patience through the whole turbulent ordeal and a great comfort to Zack. 

Until she utterly betrayed him in one fell swoop. 

“I’ll add in a note for your doctor that you want to discuss the option of getting your tubes tied,” She spoke softly to Cloud, jotting it down in the progress journal she kept for him and ignoring the way Zack floundered behind him, the adults in the room chuckling at his expense. 

Cloud hardly had the energy to process what was going on around him. Every muscle in his body ached. His pelvic floor felt like it had been torn up and splintering. The only reason he hadn’t allowed himself to pass out into the black abyss that beckoned him was because of the swaddled little angel pressed to his chest that he and his Alpha created. Every time he looked down at his newborn son, he felt his heart reignite with a love so profound it managed to fight off the exhaustion of a 9 hour labor. 

Turning his head weakly to the curious boy beside the bed, Cloud weakly extended his arm in an invitation for the child to climb up, which he happily took. “Come meet your brother, Denzel,” He murmured sleepily as he pulled him in close and mustered up the strength to ruffle his hair. 

“He kinda looks like a potato…” 

Cloud snorted and chuckled. “So did you, once upon a time,” He brought down his hand the flick Denzel’s forehead, amused by the grumble it pulled out of the boy. “You know, your father and I never truly agreed on a name--”

“I’m telling you, Angeal is a perfectly fine na-”

“So I’ve _decided,”_ He flashed Zack a firm and conclusive look before turning back to his son, “That I’m going to let you decide your brother’s name.”

“Seriously?!” Denzel beamed brightly, his smile contagious enough to coax Cloud into one himself as he nodded his head. 

“Yeah. You don’t have to decide now. You can take some time to think about i-”

“ _Arc!”_ Denzel interrupted exuberantly, practically bouncing on his knees. 

Cloud narrowed his eyes a little, trying to summon the patience for the suggestion given the gravity of the emotional day the boy had to go through but clearly he wasn’t nearly as impacted as he thought. “That video game character you won’t stop talking about?” He didn’t intend to sound so unimpressed but he blamed it on the tiredness. 

“Yeah! I’m gonna teach him how to be a super awesome mage like Arc! I’ll be the sword guy and he can back me up with materia. He can light the blade on _FIRE_ and I’ll slash through malboros like butter! Except he won’t be able to light the wooden swords on fire… But by then I’ll be able to use real swords and we can--”

Cloud drowned out the excitable chattering and let a lazy smile settle over his lips, his shoulders sinking back into the pillows he was propped up against and his eyes slipping shut. “Alright, alright,” He yawned, motioning for Zack to sit by his side and take the infant from him which his mate was all-too eager to do. He still wasn’t that good at holding him properly yet but there would be plenty of time for him to learn. “His name is Arc.”

If he let himself listen closely, he could hear the sounds of his mate’s flabbergasted rejection of Cloud’s declaration mingled with Denzel’s triumphant gloating. Exhaustion had finally sunk its claws into his being and there was no point in fighting it anymore. His son- _Arc-_ was safe in his husband’s hands. Denzel was happy and excited to have a sibling. A good portion of his friends were all at his side. And his mate- his perfect, wonderful, dork of an Alpha was there to make sure that everything would be okay. 

_“He’s so adorable, Cloud.”_

His eyes flittered open a crack and, for a moment, he swore he could see a bangled, feminine hand running over Arc’s tiny head. His smile was heavy with languor as a pleasant warmth flooded his aching body, his eyes slipping back shut. Yeah. He _was_ adorable. Even if he kinda looked like a potato.

For once in his life, Cloud couldn’t wait to see what the future had in store for him and his family. 

**Author's Note:**

> I guess this is where I link my twitter or some shit? I'm @commanderbb04. I post mostly Zakkura content, shitposts, and some Haikyuu.


End file.
